The foldable smartphone market has seen increased competition in recent years, with companies like Moto, Samsung, and Oppo releasing multiple devices. Now, OnePlus, a subsidiary of Oppo, has entered the foldable smartphone space with its OnePlus Open. Priced at Rs. 1,39,999, the OnePlus Open is not a mass-market device, but it aims to compete with established players like Samsung. Let's explore whether the OnePlus Open has enough to take on Samsung in this segment.
Design: One of the first noticeable features of the OnePlus Open is its lightweight design, weighing about 245 grams. The phone measures 11.7mm thick when folded and 5.8mm thick when unfolded. The camera bump is quite large, but aside from that, the crease on the main display (when unfolded) is less noticeable compared to Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold5. The outer display has a 6.3-inch (20:9 aspect ratio), while the main display is 7.82-inch (1.07:1 aspect ratio). The hinge is lighter than other foldable devices, making it a more lightweight option. The phone's physical buttons and ports are well-placed, and the hinge feels sturdy and reliable. However, it does not have an IP rating for water or dust resistance.
Displays: The OnePlus Open features a 6.3-inch AMOLED (LTPO) outer display with refresh rates ranging from 10 to 120Hz. The outer display is bright and sharp, even under direct sunlight. The main display is a 7.82-inch flexi-fluid AMOLED (LTPO) with a resolution of 2440x2268 and supports refresh rates from 1 to 120Hz. The main display handles high-resolution videos and images well, without sacrificing sharpness. However, due to the aspect ratio, thick black bars may appear when watching videos.
Camera: The OnePlus Open boasts a triple camera system with Hasselblad branding. It includes a 48MP (f/1.7) main camera, a 64MP (f/2.6) telephoto camera, and a 48MP (f/2.2) ultra-wide camera. The camera performance has improved in terms of color accuracy with recent updates. It captures good details and white balance in broad daylight and performs reasonably well in low light. The telephoto lens is quick and retains details for still subjects but may struggle with moving subjects. The front-facing cameras, both on the outer display (32MP) and inner display (20MP), produce decent selfie shots and are suitable for video calls. The phone can shoot 4K videos at 30FPS, but the quality and stabilization may not match those of the rear camera's 1080p videos.
Performance and software experience: The OnePlus Open is equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon Gen 2 (up to 3.2GHz octa-core processor, Adreno GPU, and x70 5G modem), 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and 512GB of UFS4.0 storage. It runs on Oxygen 13.2 based on Android 13, with the September security patch. The operating system allows for running multiple apps side by side, and with updates, the phone feels more stable and smoother in terms of app switching, animations, and multimedia playback. It can handle high-end games at the highest settings without overheating.
Battery life: The phone is powered by a 4,805mAh battery and comes with an 80-watt charger. With typical usage, the phone lasts a full day, including around 1-1.5 hours of inner display usage. The bundled charger can charge the phone from 1% to full in less than an hour.
Other features: The OnePlus Open offers excellent call quality, GPS, and WiFi performance. The 5G network reception is decent, although other OnePlus models may have slightly better reception. The loudspeakers on the device are loud and clear, enhancing the video and gaming playback experience.
Verdict: As OnePlus' first foldable smartphone, the OnePlus Open showcases their parent company Oppo's experience in this space. It impresses with its less intrusive crease, conventional smartphone-like feel when closed, good battery life, and overall design. The quality of the hinge compared to Samsung and Moto remains to be seen, and it would have been nice to have wireless charging at this price point. However, the OnePlus Open is a compelling option for those willing to invest in a foldable smartphone.
